Universal yanks its 'gay joke' trailer for 'The Dilemma': New promo due later today

Talk about a movie marketer's nightmare. When you're trying to promote a typically inoffensive middlebrow buddy comedy, as Universal has been doing with "The Dilemma," which stars Vince Vaughn and Kevin James, the last thing you want is to have your film bashed by Anderson Cooper on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" as insulting to gays. But that's what has happened to "The Dilemma," which has been embroiled in controversy after a number of viewers objected to the opening scene in the trailer, in which Vaughn is seen denigrating an electric car, saying, "It's gay."

Cooper said of the joke: "I just find those words, those terms -- we've got to do something to make those words unacceptable 'cause those words are hurting kids." He added: "I think we really need to focus on what language we're using and how we're treating these kids."

Coming at a time when the bullying of gay kids has been in the news, as with this front page story in my paper about a gay teenager who committed suicide after being taunted, Universal was viewed by many as being clueless and out of touch to be promoting a film with an insult to gays. But others have argued that gays are overreacting to a harmless throwaway jibe. Universal didn't waste any time in taking action. After it became clear that the controversy wasn't going away, the studio issued a statement this morning saying: "The teaser trailer for THE DILEMMA was not intended to cause anyone discomfort. In light of growing claims that the introduction to the trailer is insensitive, it is being replaced. A full trailer, which has been in the works for some time, will post online later today."

We still don't know if the joke will also be taken out of the movie, but the flap raises a host of unsettling questions. Here's a few: Like virtually every major studio in Hollywood, Universal has gay executives in positions of power who clearly would have seen the trailer before it was released. Why didn't they raise any objections? There are gay actors in the film who surely read the script before they took the job -- why didn't they raise any objections to the joke? Or if they did, were they ignored? And should the onus always be on gays to raise objections to questionable gay humor -- shouldn't that kind of reaction come from straight actors, filmmakers and executives too?

And here's an even more complicated question: This is hardly the first time anyone in a film or on TV has used a joke about something being "gay." It's been in the comedy lexicon for some time, from late-night TV to comedy clubs everywhere. So why is this usage the one that created a mini media firestorm? I'm going to have more to say about this, but I'd love to hear your thoughts about some of these questions.     

Photo: Vince Vaughn pictured at a football game last month at Soldier Field in Chicago. Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

 

 

Comments

[Debra]

I think maybe society is just now waking up to how offensive language really does affect kids and adults. Because of the recent gay bullying stories so prevalent right now, especially this week, I do think that Universal is doing the right thing by pulling their gay joke from the trailer.

And maybe no one has said something before, but now people and Universal are. Being associated with something that's "stupid" or "lame" can't feel good and changing the language now may someday change the perspective of how people feel toward gay people.

Jokes may have to change in response to what is socially acceptable now. I think Universal would have done the same thing if their movie poked fun of Michael Jackson the week he died.

[Kevin]

the use of the word has to do with the context, and if you see the trailer, vince vaughn even clearly explains his context by saying "not homosexual gay, but your-parents-are-chaperoning-the-dance gay" I've grown up with kids using the word "gay" in this way and I have no prejudice towards homosexuals. I'm actually kind of upset that Universal changed the trailer and that Anderson Cooper's opinion has this kind of influence

[Louis Klidonas]

This is hardly the first time anyone in a film or on TV has used a joke about something being "gay." It's been in the comedy lexicon for some time, from late-night TV to comedy clubs everywhere. So why is this usage the one that created a mini media firestorm? I'm going to have more to say about this, but I'd love to hear your thoughts about some of these questions.

You ask why THIS usage created the firestorm. The answer is twofold: Gay suicides AND the fact that Gays are rightfully fed up with being the butt of Hollywood's jokes. We are the last group to still be mocked, stereotyped and insulted.

Do you recall how Blacks were treated in the 30's. They were often depicted as shuffling, dimwitted, comic relief. That too was commonplace. At some point, Hollywood got a little enlightened when sensible people said "Enough!". If Hollywood has talented writers, I'm sure they could find another word with which to define Vaughn's character and depict the scene in question.

[Bill]

Heterosexuals do not seem to think that degrading gay people is even WRONG. In fact, it is CELEBRATED.

One only needs to watch heterosexuals calling each other 'gay' and 'fa**ot' to understand that heterosexuals do not for one moment even consider the millions of gay citizens they are degrading in their pathetic, sophomoric attempts to degrade each other.

[Creg]

The use of the word has clearly changed. This is common in language, and anyone who does not accept it is lying to themselves.

And yes, this sort of vocabulary has been common in film before, so it is curious why now a "controversy" arises. There are other and even more offensive versions of "gay" used in movies which do not result in uproars and even lead to a successful box office ("The Hangover" being a pretty relevant example.)

It seems to me that in this case a few over-reactors see a case of bullying that occurred at Rutgers, and jump on the chance to appear heroic. Where were they when these words have been used in the past?

[Janet]

Its just poor timing. I'm bisexual, I can talk a joke but I more look at the intent behind the words than what's being said. My best friend jokingly calls me queer and I don't skip a beat. Someone calling me a supposedly pc homosexual and then telling me I'm going to burn in hell and I'm an abomination and a mistake.. yes I'm going to take offense. Its all context.

[Sloth of Celerity]

I saw this trailer last Friday at "The Social Network" opening. I have to say, while I wasn't personally offended by the trailer/joke, I was very surprised that a film today would have a drawn-out gay joke like this. Did the writers/producers/studio really think nobody would be offended or did they just not care? Or maybe they planned to capitalize on the attention this film attracted because of the outcries?

[DERMOT]

I would think that most thinking people would take Vince's comment that the electric car was forward, cutting-edge and stylish.....especially to a lumox like his character. What's "gay bashing" about that?

[Pete]

The basis of all of these jokes is that gay = bad, pathetic, silly, awful. Many gay people have been protesting these homophobic jokes for years and years. Most often we have been told by straight people, "Hey, it's just a joke!" It seems to have taken the suicides of several gay teenagers for some straight people to realize that when you repeatedly tell young gays that they are bad and pathetic and awful, they believe it - with deadly results.

[stephen59]

Substitute the 'N' word for the 'G' word and you'll understand why it is so damaging to gay kids.

The hideous run of young gay suicides in the last month has promoted a long-overdue national debate. How do we protect our gay sons and daughters from bullying, from hatred, from this constant assault on their dignity as persons?

Surely we begin by setting a better example.